Curbing illegal mining: FG strengthens taskforce with 50 Hillux vans

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, says that the Federal Government is determined to curb the activities of illegal miners across the country.
He said this while inaugurating the second batch of 50 Hillux vehicles to strengthen the Special Mines Surveillance Taskforce to curb illegal mining on Thursday in Abuja.
According to the minister, 40 of the Hilux vehicles will be allocated to the SMSTF and the remaining 10 will be given to the State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee.
Fayemi said: “I am optimistic that with the commissioning of these vehicles and the provision of necessary logistics for the operations of the Taskforce and MIREMCO, illegal mining activities will drastically be reduced.
“It will also strengthen the relationship between the ministry and state governments.’’
According to him, the 10 Hillux vehicles will be given to Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Cross Rivers, Edo State, Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, Osun State and Rivers States.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that in 2016, the ministry commissioned 37 Hillux vehicles for field inspection and monitoring of mining operations across the country.
Fayemi said the first 15 states with functional MIREMCOs, have already received the sum of five million Naira each as mobilisation grants.
According to him, MIREMCO is mandated to discuss, consider and advise the minister on issues affecting the delay of reports for granting mineral titles.
Others are to consider issues affecting compensation and make necessary recommendations to the minister on pollution and degradation of any land on which mineral is being extracted among others.
Fayemi said SMSTF had to be resuscitated in 2017, to curtail the menace of illegal mining, sanitise the mines-field and position the sector on the path of sustainable development.
The minister noted that the Task Force was established in 2012, with membership drawn from relevant ministries and security organisations.
Dr Abdulkadir Muazu, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said that the mines surveillance taskforce was the ministry’s response to tackling illegal mining in the country.
Muazu said the mechanism was introduced in the sector to solve increase in the cases of illegal mining activities across the country.
Dan Inneh, the Chairman, Edo State MIREMCO, called for more funding for the committee, training and workshop for all committee chairmen to enable them have better understanding of their task.
Inneh also called for periodic meetings with the minister on how to move the sector forward.
In his vote of thanks, Alhaji Abubakar Bwari, Minister of State of the ministry, charged MIREMCO and the taskforce to be committed and dedicated to achieving the desired result expected from them.
Bwari appreciated the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and the Nigeria Police among others for joining hands in the fight against illegal mining across the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, as well as the Commandant-General of NSCDC were represented at the occasion.